Diarrhea is one of the most common health complaints. It can range from a mild, temporary condition to a potentially life-threatening one.
Globally, an estimated 2 billion cases of diarrhea disease occur each year. Also, around 1.9 million children under the age of 5 years mostly in developing countries die from diarrhea every year. This makes it the second leading cause of death in this age group.
Most cases of diarrhea are due to bacteria, viruses, or parasites. Digestive system disorders can also cause chronic diarrhea.
If a person frequently passes stools but they are of normal consistency, this is not diarrhea. Similarly, breastfed babies often pass loose, sticky stools. This is normal.
Causes
Many cases of diarrhea are due to an infection in the gastrointestinal tract. The microbes responsible for this infection include:
bacteria
viruses
parasitic organisms
The most commonly identified causes of acute diarrhea in the United States are the bacteria Salmonella, Campylobacter, Shigella, and Escherichia coli.
Some cases of chronic diarrhea are called “functional” because although all the digestive organs appear normal, they are not functioning as they ideally should. In the developed world, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is the most common cause of functional diarrhea.
IBS causes many symptoms, including cramping, abdominal pain, and altered bowel habits, which can include diarrhea, constipation, or both.
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is another cause of chronic diarrhea. IBD describes either ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease. Both conditions can also cause blood in the stool.
Some other major causes of chronic diarrhea include:
Microscopic colitis: This is a persistent type of diarrhea that usually affects older adults. It develops due to inflammation and occurs often during the night.
Malabsorptive and maldigestive diarrhea: The first is due to impaired nutrient absorption, and the second is due to impaired digestive function. Celiac disease is one example.
Chronic infections: A history of travel or antibiotic use can be clues in chronic diarrhea. Various bacteria and parasites can also be the cause.
Drug-induced diarrhea: Laxatives and other drugs, including antibiotics, can trigger diarrhea.
Endocrine-related causes: Sometimes, hormonal factors cause diarrhea. This is the case in Addison’s disease and carcinoid tumors.
Cancer-related causes: Neoplastic diarrhea is associated with a number of gut cancers.
Treatments
Mild cases of acute diarrhea may resolve without treatment.
For persistent or chronic diarrhea, a doctor will treat any underlying causes in addition to the symptoms of diarrhea.
The sections below will discuss some possible treatment options in more detail.
Rehydration
Children and older people are particularly vulnerable to dehydration. For all cases of diarrhea, rehydration is vital.
People can replace fluids by simply drinking more of them. In severe cases, however, a person may need intravenous fluids.
Oral rehydration solution or salts (ORS) refers to water that contains salt and glucose. The small intestine absorbs the solution to replace the water and electrolytes lost in the stool. In developing countries, ORS costs just a few cents.
The World Health Organization (WHO) say that ORS can safely and effectively treat over 90% of nonsevere diarrhea cases.
Zinc supplementation may also reduce the severity and duration of diarrhea in children.
Antidiarrheal medication
Over-the-counter antidiarrheal medications are also available. These include loperamide (Imodium) and bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto-Bismol).
Imodium is an antimotility drug that reduces stool passage. It is available to purchase over the counter or online.
Pepto-Bismol reduces diarrheal stool output in adults and children. It can also prevent traveler’s diarrhea. People can buy this product online or over the counter.
There is some concern that antidiarrheal medications could prolong bacterial infection by reducing the removal of pathogens through stools.
Antibiotics
Antibiotics can only treat diarrhea due to bacterial infections. If the cause is a certain medication, switching to another drug might help.
Always talk to a doctor before switching medications.
Diet
The following diet tips may help with diarrhea:
Sipping on clear liquids, such as electrolyte drinks, water, or fruit juice without added sugar
after each loose stool, replacing lost fluids with at least 1 cup of liquid
doing most of the drinking between, not during, meals
Consuming high potassium foods and liquids, such as diluted fruit juices, potatoes without the skin, and bananas
consuming high sodium foods and liquids, such as broths, soups, sports drinks, and salted crackers
Eating foods high in soluble fiber, such as banana, oatmeal, and rice, as this help thicken the stool
Limiting foods that may make diarrhea worse, such as creamy, fried, high dairy, and sugary foods
Foods and beverages that might make diarrhea worse include:
Sugar-free gum, mints, sweet cherries, and prunes caffeinated drinks and medications Fructose in high amounts, from fruit juices, grapes, honey, dates, nuts, figs, soft drinks, and prunes lactose in dairy products
Magnesium olestra (Olean), which is a fat substitute anything that contains artificial sweeteners.
Probiotics
There is mixed evidence for the role of probiotics in diarrhea. They may help prevent traveler’s diarrhea, and in children, there is evidence to suggest that they might reduce diarrheal illness by 1 day.
People should ask their doctor for advice, as there are numerous strains. Researchers have most studied probiotics based on Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Saccharomyces boulardii for antibiotic-associated diarrhea.
Research in The Lancet found no evidence to suggest that a multistrain preparation of bacteria was effective in preventing Clostridium difficile or antibiotic-related diarrhea. They call for a better understanding of the development of antibiotic-associated diarrhea.
Probiotics come in capsules, tablets, powders, and liquids, and they are available online.
Symptoms
Diarrhea refers to watery stools, but it may be accompanied by other symptoms. These include:
Stomach Pain
Abdominal Cramps
Bloating
Weight Loss
Fever
Body Aches
Chills
Diarrhea is also a symptom of other conditions, some of which can be serious. Other possible symptoms are:
Blood or pus in the stool
Persistent vomiting
Dehydration
If any of these accompany diarrhea, or if the diarrhea is chronic, it may indicate a more serious illness.
Complications
Two potentially serious complications of diarrhea are dehydration (in cases of severe and frequent diarrhea) and malabsorption (in cases of chronic diarrhea).
Diarrhea can also indicate a wide range of underlying chronic conditions. Diagnosis and treatment can help prevent further problems.
Tests and diagnosis
When diagnosing the cause of diarrhea, a doctor will ask about the person’s symptoms and:
Any current medications they take their past medical history their family history their travel history
Any other medical conditions they have.
They will also ask:
When the diarrhea started
How frequent the stools are
If blood is present in the stool
If the person has been vomiting
Whether the stools are watery or contain mucus or pus
How much stool there is
They will also look for signs of dehydration. Severe dehydration can be fatal if the person does not receive rehydration therapy immediately.
Tests for diarrhea
Most cases of diarrhea resolve without treatment, and a doctor will often be able to diagnose the problem without the use of tests.
However, in more severe cases, a stool test may be necessary especially if the symptoms persist for longer than a week.
Prevention
The following can help prevent diarrhea:
Drinking clean and safe water only
Having good sanitation systems, such as wastewater and sewage
Having good hygiene practices, such as regularly washing the hands with soap, especially before preparing food and eating and after using the bathroom
Educating oneself on the spread of infection
There is evidence to suggest that interventions from public health bodies to promote hand-washing can reduce diarrhea rates by about one-third.
In developing countries, however, the prevention of diarrhea may be more challenging due to dirty water and poor sanitation.
Summary
Diarrhea is a common problem with many potential causes.
In most cases, a range of home remedies and medical treatments can help. However, a person should see their doctor if they are concerned about diarrhea or other symptoms.
source@medicalnewstoday.com
